Friday 23 August 2019

Monday, 19 August 19, Pages 569-571

We read as far as "Wait! Hist! Let us list!" (571.34)

Apologies for the short info! No time for more this week.

Sunday 18 August 2019

Monday, 12 August 2019, Pages 568 - 569

We stopped at "Thou traitor slave!" (569.36; last line on the page)

As I had forgotten that most of this chapter is written as accounts seen/related by the 4 old men, the 4 evangelists, who had become the 4 bedposts of the bed of ALP & HCE, I was - to put it very mildly - a bit confused when we read these pages.

These 4 have accompanied the parents to where the twins have been sleeping. The parents in fact were dragged out of their bed because one of them (Jerry aka Shem) started crying in his sleep. As the mother tries to comfort the crying child, the 4 watch in great amazement HCE whose genitals are exposed for all to see.

In a change of scene, the 4 are dressed in old-fashioned costumes as seneschals (in the historical context, administrative officers) see/visualize a signpost in the Phoenix part. The signpost carries information on distances to various points: To Dun Laoghaire Obelisk, to the G. P. O. . . . On the obelisk they see a pink hunting cap that is a sign* that the king is coming the next day on a hunting expedition. What follows is a description of the visit of the king, how he is greeted by the mayor of the city, how the mayor is dressed, how the church bells ring, how a feast is prepared etc.

An interesting alternative interpretation was offered by one of the fellow readers on Monday. Accordingly the most significant word on these pages is 'necknoose' (568.20) that was interpreted as the noose around the neck indicating that what is being discussed here is an execution. The church bells ring during the funeral service, the feast is the feast offered by the family of the one who is executed.

Take your pick of the two interpretations or let your own imagination run riot!

*http://www.jjda.ie/main/JJDA/F/FF/app/chks.htm